Six weeks to go for BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Sunderland

With just six weeks to go until BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend arrives in Sunderland, excitement is building fast. Sunday's tickets have now completely sold out, with limited availability remaining for Friday and Saturday.

The three‑day festival will bring more than 100 artists to Herrington Country Park from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 May, including global headliners Olivia Dean, Zara Larsson, Fatboy Slim, Fisher, MK, Sonny Fodera, CMAT, Dermot Kennedy, Ellie Goulding, Kehlani, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan.

A major highlight of this year's event is the celebration of homegrown talent. Eleven North East artists will take to the BBC Introducing stage, with six proudly Sunderland‑born acts among them: LP Rythm, Anish Kumar, Sorley, Able Jack, Tom A Smith and Swindled. They will be joined by Finn Foster, Heidi Curtis, Max Jones, Imogen and the Knife and Ellie Scougall. This local line‑up reflects the region's thriving music scene and gives emerging artists a national platform in front of tens of thousands of festival‑goers.

For many of these artists, performing at Big Weekend marks a significant milestone in their careers. Sunderland band Swindled said: "To be there is amazing because it's a massive festival happening at a local place. And to be playing it is the dream for any band."

Sunderland City Council is working alongside the North East Combined Authority to ensure that this year's Big Weekend is one of the major events of the summer and a fantastic experience for everyone attending. Funding from the North East Mayor's Office will enable the Big Weekend and accompanying fringe activities to achieve maximum reach and exposure, while strengthening the North East's position as a world‑class major event host.

Peter McIntyre, Executive Director of City Development at Sunderland City Council, said: "We're thrilled to see such an incredible response to ticket sales already. With Sunday now sold out and huge excitement building, it's clear how much this event means to people across the region. Big Weekend will be an unforgettable three days for Sunderland, from global stars to homegrown talent taking the spotlight."

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness said: "Sunderland shows time and time again it knows how to give a big event a proper North East welcome so I'm really excited that BBC Radio One's Big Weekend is coming back to Herrington Country Park in just six weeks time.

"Events like this are a fantastic opportunity for our homegrown artists to perform on stage in front of huge crowds and gain the recognition they deserve. I want our creatives to succeed in the North East without needing to go to the capital. That's why we're investing in recording studios, venues and festivals like Big Weekend to create the opportunities for them."

As part of the wider One Big Summer programme, a weekend of community‑led activity will also take place in Keel Square, with more details to follow. Please visit BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend coming to Sunderland - MySunderland and follow @SunderlandUKOfficial on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

Festival‑goers are encouraged to plan their journeys early and make use of the official shuttle buses from Park Lane Interchange, Heworth Metro Station and Durham Park & Ride Belmont. Shuttle buses must be pre‑booked. There will be restricted site access and road closures in place throughout the event weekend, so using official transport options is strongly advised. For information on travel visit https://bigweekendtravel.com/

Tickets for Friday and Saturday remain available via Ticketmaster, the only official ticketing agent. For more information visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/backstage/bigweekend  

Festival‑goers can also download the Radio 1 Big Weekend app, which includes set times, maps, live updates and everything needed to make the most of the weekend. The app can be downloaded at: Event App